Requests for repeat medication prescriptions and frequency of acute episodes in asthma patients

This study was conducted to determine if suboptimal use of inhaled steroid and over-reliance on bronchodilator medication to control asthma symptoms i s associated with higher risk of acute asthma episodes. Details of repeat p rescriptions for medication and use of health services over 12 months were collected for 754 adult outpatients with asthma; all were prescribed inhale d corticosteroid. Patients who requested less than five prescriptions per y ear were considered suboptimal users. Patients who requested seven or more bronchodilator prescriptions and less than five inhaled steroid prescriptio ns had significantly more family physician consultations for asthma episode s (p < 0.05), more hospital admissions (p < 0.05), and more disturbed night s in the week before hospital or family physician review (p < 0.05). Some p atients with more severe asthma put themselves at risk by relying on bronch odilator medication rather than regular inhaled steroid for asthma control. Among patients who were low bronchodilator users, those who requested few inhaled steroid prescriptions were younger and more anxious but did not hav e an increased risk of acute asthma episodes.